By Jade Stott (Volunteer Coordinator) and Gayle La Croix (Operations Manager) of the Wild Place Project.
The Wild Place Project, located near Cribbs Causeway, is a fun, family attraction that provides outdoor adventure, play and learning.
Opened by the Bristol Zoological Society, with an emphasis on protecting threatened habitats on our doorsteps and around the globe, the Wild Place Project aims to inspire families to enjoy nature by offering a number of outdoor adventures. Guests of all ages can discover wildlife from the UK and around the world with our seasonal themed trails, woodland walks, amazing animal experiences and much more! Our incredible animals range from the mischievous lemurs of Madagascar to the striking grey wolves of Europe.
We are really fortunate to be supported by a fantastic team of volunteers who are helping us in the gardens, looking after the animals, engaging with our guests and supporting events and activities. We even have volunteering roles available within our maintenance team, for the more hands on among you!
We have seen fantastic developments to the project since our opening in July 2013, from new animal enclosures to play areas and gardens. Many personal goals have also been reached by our wonderful volunteering team. We are now preparing for our fast approaching spring/summer season with many more volunteer opportunities opening up.
Volunteering at Wild Place Project is a fantastic way to learn new skills and meet new people whilst helping us spread conservation awareness in a fun and inspiring environment, surrounded by like-minded people. As well as our wonderful animal collection, we are lucky enough to have large amounts of untouched land and beautiful gardens, including an area of protected British Ancient Woodland, so there are many ways to be involved – from volunteer rangers to gardeners and from guest services and maintenance to education.
The Wild Place Project is looking for individuals who love being outdoors and are outgoing, hands on people who want to encourage our guests to become more interested in our habitats, conservation and our amazing animals, as well as helping them to have a great day at a developing visitor attraction!
For more information on volunteering, including the various roles available, please visit www.wildplace.org.uk/volunteers or call 0117 980 7181.
This article originally appeared in the March 2015 edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine, delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,500 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
